Olivia Rodrigo breaks silence on Babydoll dress criticism, calls out ‘disturbing’ reactions

Singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo has addressed the controversy around her recent outfit. The singer spoke about her choice to wear a babydoll dress, stating that the logic behind the criticism showed how "we really normalize pedophilia in our culture".

She shared that she was actually inspired by music icons like Kathleen Hanna and Courtney Love to wear them, reports 'Variety'.

Rodrigo recently donned the dresses in her "Drop Dead" music video and at her recent Spotify's Billions Club Live concert, eliciting online criticism that the look infantilized and sexualized her.

"That's been making me so upset", she said in a clip from the New York Times Popcast, which will release the full episode tomorrow. "Not even for me. People can say whatever they want. What's really disturbing is I have worn outfits that are maybe revealing on stage. I've been on stage in a sparkly bra and little shorts, which is my right, that's fun, I felt cool and comfortable in that. And that wasn't inappropriate, but me fully covered up in a dress that people deemed to be childlike was inappropriate".


The singer explained that the reactionary response shows "how we really normalize pedophilia in our culture. Also it's just this rhetoric we're fed as girls since we're so little, which is, don't wear that because then a man is going to sexualize your body and it's your fault. It's so weird".

As per 'Variety', she clarified that she didn't think wearing a babydoll dress sexualized her, and that it was intended as an homage to the '90s rock icons who inspired her.

"I didn't think that I looked sexy in that at all. I was like, this is so cool. I feel I look like Kathleen Hanna or Courtney Love, all these people who are my heroes, and I felt cool and comfortable in it. I just think if we start dressing in a way that's like, 'I don't want some fucking freak to think that I'm sexy like a baby' or some crazy thing like that, I think it's losing the plot a little bit. I'm just very protective of younger women, girls, and I don't ever want them to be fed that rhetoric", she added.